China’s trade surplus soars past $1 trillion as AI boom powers exports

A cargo ship approaches a container terminal at Lianyungang Port in Jiangsu province, China, on Oct.14. | CHINA DAILY / VIA REUTERS

REUTERS

Nov 10, 2026

BEIJING – China’s trade surplus surged past $1 trillion in the first 10 months of 2026 as a global race to build artificial intelligence infrastructure buoyed sales of high-tech products and helped offset weak domestic demand, a dynamic likely to sharpen tensions with major trading partners.

The data comes ahead of next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, where Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to meet for the third time this year, putting broader economic ties and tariff policy squarely in focus.

The figures highlight Beijing’s growing reliance on overseas demand to support an economy hobbled by subdued consumption and a protracted property slump. But while the global AI investment boom is expected to keep demand for Chinese technology products strong into 2027, analysts warn that deeper dependence on external markets could leave China more vulnerable to protectionist measures abroad while masking persistent weakness at home.

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